Container-orienting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for receiving containers from a mass of containers and disposing them with their open ends upright comprising a rotor containing regularly spaced pockets peripherally thereof for movement along a predetermined circular path within which the containers are deposited in prone positions for movement along said path onto a straddle rail. The pockets are open at the top and bottom so that containers deposited in the pockets when moved onto the rail are allowed to tilt downwardly within the pockets to upright positions and to be conducted along the path and marshalled in single line for further processing. The rotor is rotated continuously to present each pocket to a predetermined position for filling and there is a platform beneath the rotor which constitutes a bottom for the pocket at that position and a power-operable, reciprocably mounted presser foot supported above the rotor at said position for thrusting containers into the pockets in timed relation with the arrival of the pockets at said position. A receiver is supported above the rotor to which the containers are supplied in succession and the reciprocable presser foot is arranged to eject containers from the receiver into the pockets.

United States Patent Sterling et al.

[ Sept. 3, 1974 CONTAINER-ORIENTING APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Walter S. Sterling, Quincy; Robert W. Vergobbi, Braintree, both of Mass.

[73] Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Quincy, Mass.

[22] Filed: Apr. 23, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 353,749

[52] US. Cl ..198/255, 198/24,221/172, 198/271, 198/272 [51] Int. Cl. B65g 47/24 [58] Field of Search 198/209, 24, 33 AC; 221/172, 268, 278

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,714 1l/1930 Anderson 198/209 2,614,679 10/1952 Sandberg 198/24 2,724,484 11/1955 McCoy 198/24 2,775,334 12/1956 .leremiah.... 198/33 AA 2,860,760 11/1958 Yeo et al.... 198/24 2,953,237 9/1960 Whitecarm. 198/33 AC 3,407,917 10/1968 Lockwood. 198/33 AC 3,599,780 8/1971 Sorbie 198/209 3,643,783 2/1972 Sterling 4 221/158 3,687,261 8/1972 Guckel 198/25 3,735,855 5/1973 Johnson et al. 198/33 AB Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Assistant ExaminerRichard K. Thomson Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Robert T. Gammons; 91kg Bronstein, Roberts & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for receiving containers from a mass of containers and disposing them with their open ends upright comprising a rotor containing regularly spaced pockets peripherally thereof for movement along a predetermined circular path within which the containers are deposited in prone positions for movement along said path onto a straddle rail. The pockets are open at the top and bottom so that containers deposited in the pockets when moved onto the rail are allowed to tilt downwardly within the pockets to upright positions and to be conducted along the path and mar-' shalled in single line for further processing. The rotor is rotated continuously to present each pocket to a predetermined position for filling and there is a platfonn beneath the rotor which constitutes a bottom for the pocket at that position and a power-operable, reciprocably mounted presser foot supported above the rotor at said position for thrusting containers into the pockets in timed relation with the arrival of the pockets at said position. A receiver is supported above the rotor to which the containers are supplied in succession and the reciprocable presser foot is arranged to eject containers from the receiver into the pockets.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures age-33.111

PATENIEDSEP awn PATENTEDSEP 31w 3.833.111

sum 30; 4

1 CONTAINER-ORIENTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In our pending application Ser. No. 295,972, filed Oct. 10, 1972, there is shown a container-orienting apparatus having a rotary conveyor peripherally of which there are uniformly spaced pockets for receiving containers for moving containers deposited in-the'pockets onto a straddle rail where they are permitted to drop down to one side or the other depending uponwhich is the heavier end to positions in which the tops are uppermost and for movement thereafter along to a place of convergence where they are aligned insingle file for further processing. In the aforesaid application the containers are deposited in the successive pockets intimed relation to the movement of the pockets to apredetermined position for receiving containers by devices in which gravity and the pressure of air jets are relied upon to insert the containers into the pockets and so such apparatus is limited in its speed of operation. The purpose of this invention is to provide a machine which is designed to operate at a much higher speed than that possible with the aforesaid machine and to provide a machine which is dependable, easy to maintain and economical to manufacture.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the machine comprises a conveyor containing a plurality of spaced pockets movable along a predetermined path, the pockets being open at the top and bottom, a support adjacent the bottom side at a predetermined position along the path which forms a bottom of the pocket above it at said place and means above the conveyor at said place for depositing a container in the pocket at said place. The conveyor is driven continuously to advance successive pockets across the support above a rail or track on which the container becomes straddled and drops down to one side or the other depending upon the heavier end with its open end up whereupon the righted containers are aligned in single file for further processing. The containers are deposited in the successive pockets by means above the conveyor at the place of the support which is reciprocably mounted for movement in a direction perpendicular to the pocket above the support to force a container downwardly into the pocket. There is a receiver also above the conveyor to which containers are delivered in succession with-the aid of air jets to position the leading container below the reciprocable means and operation of the latter is timed with the movement of the conveyor to cause a container to be expelled from the receiver into the pocket at the moment of arrival of the pocket in the aforesaid position. The conveyor in the preferred form is a rotor around which the pockets are distributed in a circle. The means for expelling the containers from the receiver into the pocket is a presser foot reciprocal by a poweroperated cylinder.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of the rotor of the machine of this invention at the place of loading containers into the pockets peripherally of the rotor, omitting the means for delivering the containers to this position;

FIG. 2 is an elevation taken along a line 22 of FIG. I with parts in section showing the means for delivering containers to the place for loading into the pockets and the means for inserting the containers into the pockets;

FIG. 3 is an elevation takenfrom the right-hand side of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the control for timing the operation of the means for inserting the con.- tainers into the pockets with the arrival of the pockets at the place for receiving them.

Referring to the drawings (FIG. I) there is shown a portion of a rotor 10 in the form of a circular table, containing peripherally thereof at uniformly spacedv intervals radially disposed pockets 1 2 of a size. and configuration which in this instance is substantially rectangular to receive containers C deposited therein on a side with either end toward the center of the rotor. The pockets 12 are open at the top, bottom and outer ends and are of a depth to receive the containers resting on a side,

as shown in FIG. 3 with the upper and lower sides of the,

container extending above and below the top and bottom surfaces of the rotor by small amounts.

The rotor is mounted on a pedestal (not shown) for rotation about a vertical axis in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 1) and is designed to move containers which are deposited in the pockets onto a straddle rail T which extends arcuately about the center of rotation of the rotor and which is located substantially midway between the inner and outer endsof the pockets so that the containers drop down within the pockets at one side or the other of the rail, depending upon which is the heavier end to upwardly inclined positions within the pockets resting against the rail. As the rotor continues to carry the containers about the axis of rotation guide rails GG diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 in combination with the rail T set the containers up on their lower ends with their open ends uppermost and combine the containers to form a single tile for discharge and further processing. The details of construction of the straddle rail T, guide rails G-G and the drive means for effecting rotation of the rotor are all disclosed in the aforesaid pending application to which reference may be had and hence need not be described in further detail herein.

The rotor 10 is driven continuously to move the pockets along a predetermined path to a place of deposit for deposit of containers therein. At the place of deposit, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is mounted on the machine frame below the rotor a platform support 14, the upper surface 16 of which is parallel to the lower side of the rotor and spaced therefrom so as to form a bottom for the pocket at this positionand to support a container illustrated at C with its lower side in engagement therewith and with its upper side projecting slightly above the open top of the pocket. The

platform 14 extends beyond the place of deposit of the containers at each side. In the aforesaid application the containers were deposited in the pockets as they were moved into a position above the platform with the aid of gravity and pressure supplied from jets of air. According to this invention deposit of the containers into the pockets is accomplished mechanically with the aid of a reciprocably mounted member which is supported above the rotor in a position to force a container supported in a receiver above the rotor downwardly into the pocket of the rotor which is in position for receiving a container at that moment. The reciprocably mounted member comprises a presser foot (FIG. 2) supported on a pin 32 at the lower end of a coupling 34 threaded onto the lower end of a piston rod 36 extending downwardly from a cylinder 38. The cylinder 38 is bolted to a shelf plate 40 containingv an opening 43 through which the piston rod extends, fastened in a horizontal position above the rotor to the upper ends of spaced supports 42-42, the lower ends of which are secured by angle bracket members 44-44 to the base of the machine. Pressure supplied to the cylinder 38 will reciprocate the rod and hence the presser foot 30 perpendicularly with reference to the top of the rotor.

The receiver 46 is mounted on the supports 42-42 in a horizontal position above and parallel to the rotor and between the rotor and the reciprocably mounted presser foot 30 and comprises a pair of horizontally disposed, spaced parallel bars 48-48 (FIG. 1) extending forwardly from the vertical edges of the supports 42-42, a bar 50 mounted between the inner ends of the bars 48-48 and spaced parallel bars 52-52 bolted at their inner ends to the upper side of the bar 50 and extending rearwardly between the supports 4242. The distance between the bars 48-48 corresponds substantially to the width of the container and the distance between the bars 52-52 and the top of the rotor is such that only one container can occupy the space defined by the bars 48-48, the end bar 50 and the top bars 52-52 when resting on a container within the pocket with a clearance between the top side of the container and the bottom side of the bars 52-52.

The outer side 50a of the bar 50 of the receiver coincides substantially with the inner end 12a of the bars 48-48 coincide substantially with the inner sides of the long sides 12b-12b of the pockets in the rotor.

The outer end of the receiver is open and containers are delivered thereto in succession by a track R (FIG. 2) comprised of horizontally disposed lower, upper and side rails 54, 56 and 57-57 supported in alignment with the open end of the receiver, the lower rails being situated at a level corresponding substantially to the top side of a container occupying a pocket and resting upon the platform below the pocket and the upper rail being substantially at a level of the lower sides of the bars 52-52. The containers are delivered to the track from a random mass of containers so that either end may be the leading end as the containers are propelled along the track to the receiver by gravity and/or air pressure. Near the open end of the receiver there are supported nozzles 58-58 for directing jets of air downwardly at an angle to the upper side of the containers at a pressure such as to drive them forcibly into the receiver into engagement of the leading end with the outer side a of the bar 50 and to act on the succeeding container to forcibly press it against the trailing end of the container in the receiver. The nozzles 58-58 are mounted at the lower ends of coupling pipes 60-60 adjustably supported for vertical movement on the shelf plate 40 and connected by suitable conductors L3-L3 to a source of air pressure. As will be observed (FIG. 1) the bars 52-52 which extend between the supports 42-42 are connected at their rear ends to a tongue 64 which in turn is connected by a bolt 66 to the lower end of an adjustable post 68, the upper end of which is supported by the shelf plate 40 so as to enable raising and lowering the bars 52-52 slightly to insure ease of entrance of the containers into the receiver.

In the operation of the apparatus when a container enters into the receiver 46 and a pocket 12 occupies a position for receiving a container from the receiver the presser foot 30 is moved downwardly and forces the container from the receiver into the pocket directly below it. As soon as a container leaves the receiver the next container will immediately be driven forwardly by the air jets 58-58 and in order to permit such forward movement without interference the presser foot 30, as previously related, is pivotally mounted at 32 so that the forward movement of the container pivots the foot in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 2, about the pivot 32 to an out of the way position. The movement of the container into the receiver will, of course, hold the previous container which has been forced into the pocket-within the pocket while the rotor continues to rotate whereupon the portion of the rotor between pockets will move under the container in the receiver and hold it in this position until the next pocket arrives below it. As the presser foot 30 is retracted by the piston rod it is rotated to its vertical position by a cam member 68 fastened to the underside of the shelf plate 40 by bolts 71. Actuation of the reciprocably mounted presser foot 30 to transfer a container from the receiver to a pocket is effected by supplying pressure to the cylinder 38 at intervals corresponding to the spacing between pockets. This is achieved by means of a valve V mounted on a bracket 70 which is adjustably attached to the rotor by means of slots 72 and bolts 74. The valve V has an actuating arm 76 pivoted at 80, at the distal end of which there is a roller 82. A valve actuated pin 84 is situated between the pivot 80 and distal end of the arm 76 such that pivotal movement of the arm will depress the pin 84 which in turn will supply air at a pressure of approximately 70 psi to the cylinder 38 from asource of air pressure 86 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4. Actuation of the arm 76 is effected in timed relation to the rotation of the rotor by cam members 88 mounted on the rotor at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the pockets. Engagement of the cam member 88 with the follower roll 82 momentarily displaces the arm 76 and depresses the valve pin 84 so as to supply a charge of 80 pounds of pressure through a line L to the upper end of the cylinder 38 which will effect downward movement of the presser foot so as to deposit a container in the pocket. The presser foot 30 is retracted following depression by escape of the pressure from the valve through a vent (not shown) and a pressure of 30 pounds constantly supplied to the lower end of the cylinder through a line L2 extending from the lower end of the cylinder to the source of air pressure 86.

The jets 58-58 which drive the containers into the receiver are supplied with air pressure through lines L3-L3 from the source 86, pressure regulators Rl-Rl being provided in the lines to control the pressure supplied to the jets.

As the rotor moves away from the position in which the container is deposited in a pocket the outer end of the container is retained in the pocket while on the platform by a rail 90 (FIG. 2) having an angularly disposed lead-in portion 92 (FIG. 1) and an arcuate portion 94. The rail 90 is adjustably fastened to the platform by means of slots 96 and bolts 98 for engagement with the outer end of a container to guide it onto the rail T beyond the platform. To further guide and control the movement of the container as the rotor moves away from the platform there are horizontally disposed, spaced parallel guide bars 100100 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which extend from one side of one of the supports 42 in the direction of rotation of the rotor above and in spaced parallel relation to the platform 14. The bars 100100 are yieldably mounted by means of bolts and springs 102, 104.

Beyond the platform where the containers are supported by the rail T.for tilting movement to drop down to either side of the rail within the pockets there is employed in the aforesaid pending application means for urging one end or the other downwardly comprising nozzles 112112, one at each side of the rail such as shown in FIG. 4, which are supplied through conductors L4L4 with air pressure from the source 86 through a suitable pressure regulator R2.

The machine as thus described provides for rapid and positive deposit of the successive containers in the pocket unaffected by inertia or variations in air pressure which do limit the speed of operation of a machine in which the speed is dependent upon gravity and/or air pressure.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Container orienting apparatus comprising a conveyor containing regularly spaced pockets for receiving containers in prone positions, a magazine for receiving containers, to be deposited into successive pockets, said magazine having a container receiving chamber for receiving a container in a prone position, said chamber having a bottom opening and ends, one of which is open, means supporting the magazine with its bottom opening above, close to the path along which the pockets travel and oriented as are the pockets in the conveyor, a platform supported below the conveyor and magazine and close to the underside of the conveyor, said platform providing a bottom for the open lower side of each pocket at it travels by the lower open end of the magazine, a rail situated below the conveyor beyond said platform in the direction of movement, said rail following the course of the pockets and having an upper edge substantially flush with the surface of the platform onto which the conveyor slides a container occupying a pocket for tilting of the heavier end of the container downwardly through the bottom opening, a support below the rail onto which the downwardly tilting end of the container drops and is supported in an upwardly inclined position leaning against the rail, a ram, means supporting the ram above the magazine for movement downwardly therein through the lower open end to thrust a container from the magazine into the pocket therebelow into engagement with the platform, said ram being supported substantially mid-way between the ends of the chamber so that there is room for a container from a supply of containers to be moved part-way into the chamber as the ram moves downwardly therein for thrusting the container downwardly into a pocket, said ram being constructed to permit the container to be moved the remainder of the way into the chamber while the ram is being re-tracted, an inclined track connected at one end to the open end of the chamber and at its other end to a hopper through which containers are guided into the chamber, jets supported along the track for driving containers along the track into the chamber, means for continuously driving the conveyor and power operated means operable in timed relation to the movement of the successive pockets into registration with the-lower end of the chamber to effect reciprocation of the ram in timed relation to presentation of pockets to the lower end of the chamber to thrust containers from the chamber into said pockets.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means adjustably supporting the jets for heightwise movement with respect to the track.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber of the magazine is of substantially the same configuration and size as pockets in the conveyor such that when a pocket is in registration with the lower open end of a chamber a container moved downwardly therefrom is guided into the pockets therebelow.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the receiver has spaced parallel sides, the distance between which corresponds substantially to the width of the container.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the chamber has a top member parallel to the conveyor situated above the conveyor a distance sufficient to permit a container to move from the track into the chamber with a clearance between the top member and the top side of the container.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there is means adjustably supporting the outer end of the top member to dispose the top member at an angle of inclination corresponding to that of the container.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pockets are open at their outer ends and there is an end member fixed to the platform opposite the path of movement of the open ends of the pockets in a position to close the open ends of the pockets at said position.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram comprises a presser foot reciprocably supported above the chamber for movement downwardly into the chamber to force a container from the chamber and upwardly to permit the succeeding container to occupy the chamber and means pivotally mounting the presser foot for displacement by the succeeding container as it enters the chamber.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein there is means for restoring the presser foot to its undisplaced vertical position upon upward movement thereof.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ram comprises a cylinder, a rod extending from the cylinder and a presser foot pivotally mounted to the lower end of the rod.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is a rotor containing peripherally thereof, said pockets, and wherein the chamber is supported above the rotor radially with respect to its axis of rotation with its ends in vertical alignment with the path of travel of the ends of the pockets.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein there is a part mounted on the platform at the periphery of the rotary conveyor in a position to close the open ends of the pockets as they move across the platform.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platform extends beyond the lower open end of the chamber in the direction of movement of conveyor by an ing of the pockets for initiating operation of the poweroperable means in time relation to the arrival of pockets at said position.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, comprising means for supporting the valve assembly for adjustment relative to the pockets on the conveyor. 

1. Container orienting apparatus comprising a conveyor containing regularly spaced pockets for receiving containers in prone positions, a magazine for receiving containers, to be deposited into successive pockets, said magazine having a container receiving chamber for receiving a container in a prone position, said chamber having a bottom opening and ends, one of which is open, means supporting the magazine with its bottom opening above, close to the path along which the pockets travel and oriented as are the pockets in the conveyor, a platform supported below the conveyor and magazine and close to the underside of the conveyor, said platform providing a bottom for the open lower side of each pocket at it travels by the lower open end of the magazine, a rail situated below the conveyor beyond said platform in the direction of movement, said rail following the course of the pockets and having an upper edge substantially flush with the surface of the platform onto which the conveyor slides a container occupying a pocket for tilting of the heavier end of the container downwardly through the bottom opening, a support below the rail onto which the downwardly tilting end of the container drops and is supported in an upwardly inclined position leaning against the rail, a ram, means supporting the ram above the magazine for movement downwardly therein through the lower open end to thrust a container from the magazine into the pocket therebelow into engagement with the platform, said ram being supported substantially mid-way between the ends of the chamber so that there is room for a container from a supply of containers to be moved part-way into the chamber as the ram moves downwardly therein for thrusting the container downwardly into a pocket, said ram being constructed to permit the container to be moved the remainder of the way into the chamber while the ram is being re-tracted, an inclined track connected at one end to the open end of the chamber and at its other end to a hopper through which containers are guided into the chamber, jets supported along the track for driving containers along the track into the chamber, means for continuously driving the conveyor and power operated means operable in timed relation to the movement of the successive pockets into registration with the lower end of the chamber to effect reciprocation of the ram in timed relation to presentation of pockets to the lower end of the chamber to thrust containers from the chamber into said pockets.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means adjustably supporting the jets for heightwise moVement with respect to the track.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber of the magazine is of substantially the same configuration and size as pockets in the conveyor such that when a pocket is in registration with the lower open end of a chamber a container moved downwardly therefrom is guided into the pockets therebelow.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the receiver has spaced parallel sides, the distance between which corresponds substantially to the width of the container.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the chamber has a top member parallel to the conveyor situated above the conveyor a distance sufficient to permit a container to move from the track into the chamber with a clearance between the top member and the top side of the container.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there is means adjustably supporting the outer end of the top member to dispose the top member at an angle of inclination corresponding to that of the container.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pockets are open at their outer ends and there is an end member fixed to the platform opposite the path of movement of the open ends of the pockets in a position to close the open ends of the pockets at said position.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram comprises a presser foot reciprocably supported above the chamber for movement downwardly into the chamber to force a container from the chamber and upwardly to permit the succeeding container to occupy the chamber and means pivotally mounting the presser foot for displacement by the succeeding container as it enters the chamber.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein there is means for restoring the presser foot to its undisplaced vertical position upon upward movement thereof.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ram comprises a cylinder, a rod extending from the cylinder and a presser foot pivotally mounted to the lower end of the rod.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is a rotor containing peripherally thereof, said pockets, and wherein the chamber is supported above the rotor radially with respect to its axis of rotation with its ends in vertical alignment with the path of travel of the ends of the pockets.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein there is a part mounted on the platform at the periphery of the rotary conveyor in a position to close the open ends of the pockets as they move across the platform.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platform extends beyond the lower open end of the chamber in the direction of movement of conveyor by an amount at least equal to the distance between the leading side of one pocket and the trailing sides of the succeeding pocket.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is a valve assembly for supplying pressure to the power-operable means, a valve actuator arranged adjacent the path of movement of the conveyor, and cam members on the conveyor at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the pockets for initiating operation of the power-operable means in time relation to the arrival of pockets at said position.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, comprising means for supporting the valve assembly for adjustment relative to the pockets on the conveyor. 